Topic: Installing and configuring the VPN on SME 6.0.1-01

[Discovery_]

Hi all,

I am have some problems setting up the VPN on my SME server (6.0.1-01).

I have read the manual which was helpfull untill I got to the heading 6.7 Managing digital certificates on the 6000 MAS.

In here the manual explains about reseting digital certificates an option in the Remote access page.

Now where the *Blazes* is that!!?? I have no menus
and or options on my SME Server, is there a contrib I need to install?

Also do I need to IPSEC if so how is that done??

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Rob

[crazybob]

pptp vpn on sme is problematic at best. I suggest using openvpn following the how to that is available.
Bob

[CharlieBrady]

I have read the manual which was helpfull untill I got to the heading 6.7 Managing digital certificates on the 6000 MAS.

In here the manual explains about reseting digital certificates an option in the Remote access page.

Now where the *Blazes* is that!!??

In the Mitel commercial version (with ServiceLink). That section should have been removed from the manual for the contribs.org version 6.0.1.

[raem]

crazybob

> pptp vpn on sme is problematic at best

I regularly VPN from W2K w/s behind sme 6.0 (+ properly applied Mitel updates) to another almost identical server & workstation setup without any problem at all. Bridged modems at both ends avoid router protocol issues etc that some people seem to have.

[crazybob]

Sorry Ray,

I was thinking about my problems when I was trying it with a windows 98 client. I had much better luck with w2k and XP. I have set up a number of openvpn servers, and Jespers howto was  great

Bob

[RobRoye]

I have 3 SME servers that I regularly VPN into with both Windows and Mac. Windows is 98, 2k, and XP and Mac is OS9 and OS X. No problems at all. I'd hardly say problematic at best - if you set up the client properly you're fine.

2 things to remember - on a Mac, make sure it's set up as a PPTP VPN instead of an L2TP over IPSec. On Windows XP - you HAVE to go in and tell the VPN connection to NOT use the remote network's default gateway. Other than that everything went smoothly for me and is working fine.

[sqlerror]

pptp vpn on sme is problematic at best. I suggest using openvpn following the how to that is available.
Bob

I agree. It has never been exactly clear why pptp vpn on SME 6 can be troublesome. I run 4 SME servers, from wich three have errorfree VPN connections. One install is not errorfree. Machines have exactly the same install.
But there's a solution, upgrade the kernel!
VPN is rock solid now.

The fourth server handles VPN flawlessly now after I did upgrade the kernel as per how to by Michiel van Hees: http://www.vanhees.cc/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=18&meid=

Fixing VPN instead of replacing it with openvpn is my preffered method of fixing VPN. Users can connect using their XP machines without any hassle. The default values for the VPN connection set up via the Add Connection Wizard in XP give stable connections.

Saves a lot of support questions and time.

Cheers,
Geert

[MSmith]

That was an interesting notion, to update the kernel ... I did so, following the instructions *to the letter* on an ECS K7S5A Pro motherboard ... now it cannot communicate on either interface.  I've swapped eth0 and eth1 to no avail; ifconfig reports the configuration is OK but I cannot ping it and it cannot ping anything else.  Anybody have any suggestions?

[MSmith]

Update:  I removed kernel 2.4.27 and installed 2.4.26; now the interfaces work.  Will report on PPTP VPN effects when the server is again in place (Monday).